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South Korea’s Best May Festivals 2026

Trazy Crew

From romantic spring flower festivals to various unique local festivals, May festivals in Korea are a must-see for all spring visitors. Check out all the ongoing and upcoming festivals and events for May 2026 in South Korea and find the perfect fest with our festival guide!

1. Taean Tulip Festival

  • Date: April 1st ~ May 6th, 2026
  • Location: Taean County, Chungcheongnam-do Province (western part of Korea)

Immerse yourself in 1.5 million tulips and other spring flowers!

Recognized as one of the World’s Top 5 Tulip Festivals by the World Tulip Summit Society (WTSS), the Taean Tulip Festival is by far the largest in South Korea. While you can appreciate the beautiful tulips and spring flowers during the day, you can enjoy a fantastic array of impressive light displays at night!

Taean Tulip Festival Tours:

Read more about tulips in Korea on our blog:

2. HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL

  • Date: May 2nd, 2026
  • Location: KINTEX 2 – Exhibition Hall 9&10
  • Line-up: Jay Park, E Sens, Crush, Zion. T, Loco GRAY, CAMO, & many more

Come check out the high-energy vibes at HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL, where Korea’s biggest hip-hop names like Jay Park, E SENS, Crush, and more bring the beats for an unforgettable spring weekend.

If you’re planning a music-packed trip just outside Seoul in Goyang, pair it with nearby spots like Ilsan Lake Park or grab tickets early since this one always sells out fast. It’s the perfect way to dive into Seoul’s urban festival scene alongside your favorite tracks!

Get Your Tickets to the HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL (May 2)

3. Boseong Green Tea Festival

Boseong green tea fields with rolling hills and lush rows of tea plants during the Boseong Green Tea Festival in Korea

  • Date: April 11th ~ May 10th, 2026
  • Location: Boseong County, Jeollanam-do Province (southwestern part of Korea)

Prepare to be mesmerized by the lush, rolling green tea fields blanketing the hillsides at the Boseong Green Tea Plantation. Recognized as one of CNN’s “31 Beautiful Sights on This Incredible Planet,” this iconic spot comes alive each spring with the Boseong Green Tea Festival, featuring tea-picking experiences, green tea foot baths, traditional ceremonies, fresh harvest tastings, and more.

Book a Boseong 1 Day Tour:

4. Goyang International Flower Festival

Colorful floral walkway with hanging lantern decorations at Goyang International Flower Festival in South Korea

  • Date: April 24th ~ May 10th, 2026
  • Location: Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Province (mid-western part of Korea)

The Goyang International Flower Festival (International Horticulture Goyang Korea) is one of the largest flower exhibitions in the world. This year’s festival will feature outdoor flower displays, indoor exhibits, works by global floral artists, performances, and a flower market. It’s a great chance to watch the award-winning flower decorations and see the festival’s highlight: the grand outdoor gardens, featuring a 13m-high floral clock and immersive time-themed installations.

Our top recommendations near Goyang:

5. Damyang Bamboo Festival

Traditional Korean pavilion surrounded by tall bamboo forest at Damyang Bamboo Festival in South Korea

  • Date: May 1st ~ 5th, 2026
  • Location: Damyang, Jeollanam-do Province (south-western part of Korea)

Juknokwon (Bamboo Garden) is the best spot in Damyang to enjoy the bamboo forest. At the Damyang Bamboo Festival, dive into hands-on fun like crafting bamboo kites, shooting bamboo water guns, riding bamboo rafts, and tasting local bamboo dishes as you enjoy live performances.  Afterward, stroll the scenic Metasequoia Road for fresh air, then head over to Meta Provence, where you will come across a cute French-inspired village that’s perfect for photos. 

Book your spot on a Damyang Bamboo Forest & Meta Provence Private Tour from Seoul

6. Seoul Spring Festival

 

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  • Date: April 10th ~ May 5th, 2026
  • Location: Hangang Parks (Yeouido, Ttukseom, Jamsil, Hangang Bus Piers)

Come catch the vibrant energy of the Seoul Spring Festival along the Han River parks, where K-pop, K-food, and dazzling shows turn the riverside into one massive spring playground. Highlights include epic drone light shows, a giant carousel with flashy lights and special effects at night, a Pokémon-themed roadshow, a treasure hunt, and more.

Get your tickets to the 2026 SEOUL SPRING FESTIVAL Wonder Show on Trazy 

Read more about the festival on our blog: 

7. Baeksang Awards

  • Date: May 8th, 2026
  • Location: Coex Hall D
  • Nomination List: Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Jun-ho, Hyun Bin, Kim Go-eun, Park Bo-young, Park Ji-hyun, Lim Yoon-a, Koo Kyo-hwan, Park Jeong-min, Yoo Hae-jin & many more

Baeksang Arts Awards is one of South Korea’s most prestigious entertainment events to recognize outstanding achievements in Korean film, television, and theater since 1965. This year’s nominees have been announced, showcasing the best of television shows, OTT programs, films, and a new musical category to honor Korea’s domestically produced shows.

Check out more details of the event here.

8. Haeundae Sand Festival

  • Date: May 15th~18th, 2026
  • Location: Haeundae Beach & Haeundae Plaza (Gunam-ro) area

The Haeundae Sand Festival is Korea’s largest eco-friendly sand art showcase, hitting its 21st year this year with the theme “Busan,” celebrating the city’s past, present, and future through massive sand sculptures at Haeundae Beach. Running from May 15 to 18 (with sculptures on view until June 14), expect world-class sand art exhibitions, hands-on sand sculpting, sandboarding, a viewing platform, and lively side events like performances and media art that light up the beach at night.

Check Out Activities at Haeundae Beach:

9. Hwangmaesan Mountain Royal Azalea Festival

 

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  • Date: May 1st ~ 10th, 2026 (Food Stalls April 25th ~ May 17th)
  • Location: Mt. Hwangmaesan, Gyeongsangnam-do Province

The Hwangmaesan Mountain Royal Azalea Festival is one of Korea’s most beautiful spring flower festivals, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Hwangmaesan County Park for sweeping views of hills blanketed in royal azaleas. This year’s theme is “A Carpet of Pink on Korea’s Scenic Peaks,” with flower viewing, nature walks, local food, and scenic spots around the mountain.

10. Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival

  • Date: April 22nd ~ May 24th, 2026 (Main Events May 16th ~ 17th)
  • Location: Gwanghwamun Square, Jogyesa Temple (Ujeong Park), Korean Buddhist History & Culture Memorial Hall, Bongeunsa Temple, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Dongguk University Main Stadium, Heunginjimun Gate, Jongno, Jonggak Intersection, Insadong

The 2026 Yeondeunghoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) lights up Seoul’s streets from late April to May, with lantern displays starting at spots like Gwanghwamun Square, Jogyesa Temple, and more. There’s a multitude of events like a Buddhist cheer rally, massive lantern parade featuring over 100,000 lotus lanterns, dragons, and elephants carried by hanbok-clad participants, as well as booths, hands-on activities, and exhibitions. It’s pure spring magic celebrating Buddha’s birthday!

Read More About Buddha’s Birthday Festivities in Korea:

11. Asan Pinnacle Land Spring Festival

 

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  • Date: March 21st ~ June 21st, 2026 (Spring Festival: March 21st ~ June 21st, Tulip & Daffodil Festival: April 4th ~ May 10th, Night Sky Fireworks Festival: April 4th ~ June 21st)  )
  • Location: Asan Pinnacle Land, South Chungcheong Province

The Asan Pinnacle Land Spring Flowers Festival turns the hillside botanical garden in Asan into a colorful tulip and daffodil paradise each spring, with sloping flower beds and winding paths packed with hundreds of thousands of tulips and narcissus. You can enjoy leisurely strolls through themed gardens, seasonal installations, and evening fireworks on the weekends.

Book a 1-Day Tour Asan Tour from Seoul: Gongseri Catholic Church + Pinnacle Land + Oeam Folk Village

12. Busan Lotus Lantern Festival

  • Date: May 1st ~ May 17th, 2026
  • Location: Songsanghyeon Square and Busan Citizen Park Area, Busan

A most illuminating festival that takes place every year – the Busan Lotus Lantern Festival. Dozens of lotus lanterns of different shapes and sizes are lit up and put on display to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. Nonetheless, these spectacular lights attract thousands of spectators every year, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Enjoy More Buddha’s Birthday Festivities:

Hassle-free Tour Packages in Busan:

13. Pocheon Hantangang Spring Garden Festa

 

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  • Date: May 1st ~ June 7th, 2026
  • Location: Pocheon Hantangang, Gyeonggi Province

The Pocheon Hantangang Spring Garden Festa will take place at the Hantan River Ecological Landscape Complex in Pocheon, turning the lava‑plateau area into a large‑scale flower garden. You can wander among seasonal blooms such as tulips, lupines, and chrysanthemums spread across roughly 260,000 square meters, with the 410‑meter Y‑shaped suspension bridge offering panoramic views over the fields. There are also family‑friendly activities like electric‑bicycle rides, a pet playground, and photo‑zone spots.

Check out these hassle-free tours to P0cheon:

14. Hadong Wild Tea Culture Festival

  • Date: May 1st ~ 5th, 2026
  • Location: Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do Province

Hadong, a county on the far-west side of Gyeongsangnam-do Province, holds some of the oldest tea history and traditions in Korea, often called the birthplace of Korean tea. Learn and experience tea culture first-hand at the Hadong Wild Tea Culture Festival, which offers tea-making workshops, tea-ceremony experiences, exhibitions, and performances in the heart of lush tea fields.

Traditional Korean Tea Experiences:

15. Miryang Arirang Festival

  • Date: May 7th ~ 10th, 2026
  • Location: Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Province

The Miryang Arirang Festival celebrates and promotes the Miryang style of Arirang, which is a national folk song. shed folk song and UNESCO‑listed intangible cultural heritage. With the first event staged back in 1957, the festival has grown into a major cultural‑tourism highlight, helping to preserve and share Miryang’s unique musical traditions. This year’s festival carries extra significance as a Ministry‑designated Cultural Tourism Festival for 2026–2027, underscoring its importance in both local culture and regional tourism.

16. Namwon Chunhyang Festival

Namwon Chunhyang Festival traditional performance with a woman in a white hanbok holding large decorative fans, set against a Korean palace backdrop with colorful cultural displays

  • Date: April 30th ~ May 6th, 2026
  • Location: Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do Province

Every May, Namwon City holds the Chunhyang Festival to commemorate the day Chunhyang and Lee Mongryong first met, turning the classic love story into a living spring-time celebration. Originating with a memorial ritual held on the 5th day of the lunar calendar in May 1931, the Chunhyang Festival has continued for 95 years, making it the longest-running performing arts and citizen-participation festival in Korea – and a pioneer among local festivals. This year’s festival will feature more than 160 programs that blend traditional performances, the Chunhyang selection contest, hanbok parades, and K-culture-style fusion stages.

17. Sobaeksan Mountain Royal Azalea Festival

 

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  • Date: May 22nd ~ May 24th, 2026
  • Location: Yeonju, North Gyeongsang Province

Held around the Sobaeksan National Park area, the Sobaeksan Mountain Royal Azalea Festival celebrates the spring bloom of wild azaleas that blanket the slopes and ridgelines in vibrant pink and red hues. Timed to match the peak flowering period of the mountain azaleas, the festival includes hiking trails through the famous rhododendron colony, photography zones, and family‑friendly cultural programs. It’s a popular springtime getaway for nature lovers and photographers.

Experience More of Danyang With a Paragliding Experience:

BONUS: Pure Heart at National Jeongdong Theater

Pure Heart performance at Jeongdong Theater featuring dancers in colorful hanbok performing a lively traditional Korean stage dance under vibrant theatrical lighting

  • Date: April 3rd ~ May 30th, 2026
  • Location: National Jeongdong Theater near City Hall Station in Seoul

Experience a traditional Korean dance performance at the National Jeongdong Theater in Seoul. “Pure Heart” reimagines the story of Simcheong’s sacrifice and rebirth from her own perspective, set in a fantastical world filled with emotion and imagination. Enjoy a unique blend of traditional artistry and modern creativity at Korea’s renowned traditional performance venue, a cultural landmark since 1995.

Check out hassle-free ways to explore Korea in May!

Plan a trip to Korea to enjoy these awesome festivals in May! For more of the latest, trendiest, and newest things to do in South Korea, check out Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop!

[Photo Credits]

  • Visit Jeju Official Website
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace Official Website
  • Visit Korea Official Website
  • Miryang Arirang Festival Official Website

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